Florida Exam

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Nov 22, 2014

I don't think any of us want to get in the middle of a disagreement between you and your family member, so I'll keep my thoughts on this pretty simple:

Preparing for the NCLEX is usually EXTREMELY stressful. It is nerve-wracking, physically exhausting, mentally exhausting. Those who have high levels of self-confidence can find themselves wavering; those with poor self-confidence find themselves paralyzed by the looming "power" of the NCLEX over them. It is, after all, the ONE exam that determines whether the nursing school graduate becomes a nurse....or just a graduate without a license. It's life-changing.

Your family member is probably trying to hedge her bets, improve her odds of passing by trying to reach (or maintain) a theoretical minimum-passing grade on a practice exam. I say "theoretical" because the grades offered by varying programs as 'adequate enough to indicate successful passing of the NCLEX' do, in fact, vary. It seems to be the case that these programs ask the student to achieve higher rates of passing on the practice exams than are probably necessary to demonstrate competency on the NCLEX itself. But that's just anecdotal, based on what I've read here over the years.

Here's the bottom line: if she lacks confidence, if she's stalling, there is precious little you can do to change that other than to be as supportive as you possibly can. Arguing over it has yet to instill confidence in the person who fears the exam.

My suggestion? Get her on this forum. Have her read through the NCLEX Discussion Forum specifically, so she can see for herself what people DO go through in this preparation. She is not unique, she is not alone, but she DOES have to see what she needs to do to get ready...or recognize she IS ready, if that's the case.

If there is something specific she needs to do for the Florida Board of Nursing, she WILL find that info here. I don't see much benefit in spelling it all out for you (no offense intended, but that's just the way I see it)---SHE is the one preparing, not you.

She needs to come here and "talk" to people who know, first-hand, what all this really means.

Thanks for being concerned for her....and now your only job for the time-being is to get her here :)

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Nov 22, 2014

I agree, the best advice for her is to get on this website and start asking questions and reading threads.

Love your screen name- I am a Steven Coonts fan

Nienna Celebrindal · Nov 22, 2014

Some programs say don't take the nclex (which is the same nation wide btw) until you get ___ score on ____ practice exam. Mine did and that scared the ever loving s*** out of me (sorry for the language but that's honestly the truth).

I agree about telling her to come here to get support. You shouldn't be telling her anything else.

All you can do is be 10000% support. Don't argue, act like you know better or be pushy. That just makes it worse. The stress of this test is unlike any other. I know someone who is insanely smart has a doctorate in nursing and is a lawyer. She says that the nclex was the hardest thing she did. It's not just a knowledge test. It's a psychological mind field. Almost every answer is right but you have to pick the most right. It's brutal.

Jake Grafton · Nov 23, 2014

Thank you to all. Very informative and very helpful. I have avoided saying anything because the entire subject is alien to me. I am,however, a college graduate, licensed private pilot, certified open water scuba diver, licensed construction supervisor, and I make my living as a bridge and highway construction survey chief. All of this took countless hours of study, practical work, managing the stress of possible failure, and finally, testing.

Believe me when I tell you, all that has been presented here makes perfect sense, and I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to comment. In as gentle a manner as possible, I shall attempt to nudge her in the direction of this this forum. It is quite possible she does feel isolated in all of this, trapped and frustrated within a very tiny world of her own creation. It would help her to understand that she is part of something that is much bigger. She needs to see that there is support and mutual concern for the welfare of other people involved in the same journey.

Don 1984. Very good. You are the first ever to pick up on that, and I have been using it since I first read "Flight of the Intruder" in 1996. Jake is one of my all time heroes.

Thank you everyone. Peace on the path and safe travels to all.

~jake

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Nov 23, 2014

Don 1984. Very good. You are the first ever to pick up on that, and I have been using it since I first read "Flight of the Intruder" in 1996. Jake is one of my all time heroes.
~jake

And I was thinking I should suggest you not post your full name on an internet message board for safety reasons, LOL....and then I saw Don's post :)

I'm glad we could be of help. And I'm sure your Nurse-to-Be will benefit immensely from being here, seeing what we can do to help one another. It's a tough road, as obviously you know from your own experiences, but when it's YOUR road....well, it always seems tougher, doesn't it?

We're open 24/7 :)

Jake Grafton · Nov 23, 2014

Agreed RNsRWe. But how many truly meaningful treasures are there to be discovered along an easy road? You folks have dedicated your lives to helping people in distress and need. There is no more worthy a path on the planet. My sister will do well upon this path. She enjoys emptying herself for the benefit of others. Once she battles through this initial zone of apprehension and fear, I know her verve will lead her along on an often tough but rewarding adventure...as you well know.

Peace,

~jake

Nienna Celebrindal · Nov 23, 2014

You sound like a great brother, and the nclex can be very isolating. Hope she finds what she needs to jump this hurdle.

Jake Grafton · Nov 23, 2014

NightCrow ( I love the name). Thank you. I spoke with her this morning. She did not even know what I meant by "forum". So she is tackling all of this in a 'lone wolf' fashion. She was a little resistant, but I think she initially felt that I was going to harass her. She softened and seemed more receptive when she realized I was not calling to push her. I told her this forum offers support from people at many different levels of the process. Some, like her, are just starting out. Others have years of experience behind them. I encouraged her to just "give it some snout". I tried to get her to see that the anonymous aspect offers a safe environment to express herself openly, something that cannot always be done with people you must face on a daily basis. If she comes to feel that this is not her thing, she will be free to just stop coming here. But she will lose nothing by giving it a try.

She had some rocky moments while training with a very poor instructor who was later dismissed. I do not get the feeling that she sees herself as a significant member of your community. And it is an important part of any endeavor to fully engage the the community of people with whom you will be sharing your life. This is what eventually sets leaders apart from pure technicians.

I am confident the girl has talent. She needs to talk with people who can speak her new language. She will recognize her own level of competence if she can become a part of a supportive group that speaks to her in the same familiar language. She will realize how far she has actually come, how much she has actually learned, and how much learning remains to be accomplished. Once she has faith it will be a simple matter of gaining experience and "keeping the faith".

Peace,

~jake